Splurge or Save: Swingin' chandeliers to make a statement

Megan McDonoughThe Washington Post

Wednesday

Apr 25, 2018 at 12:01 AM

A chandelier can draw the eye, serve as a statement piece and set the mood for your entryway, foyer, bedroom or dining room. "I love [their] romance and whimsy," says author and interior designer Windsor Smith.

Whether it has a sleek and simple design or showstopping crystals, a chandelier adds elegance to a space and bathes it in the right light. "Modern downlights tend to push light on top of people, which is not our best look," Smith explains. "Chandeliers are great because they bring the lighting down and soften the entire look of the space."

Smith, who runs the Los Angeles-based design firm Windsor Smith Home, encourages designers to use more than one chandelier per room "if the scale and space is right."

"There is something very elegant about splitting a room into three parts — one large chandelier in the middle and two smaller on each end," Smith says. To provide a warm glow, she adds, try using traditional incandescent bulbs in rosy hues.

Here are Smith's top picks.

Scroll through the photo gallery above to view some splurge-and-save chandelier picks.